fit410s

mnbigguy

I wooted up a pair of these guys months ago and they are great. Much better than the Roombas they replaced. They have no problem with thick pile carpeting.

One tip, they will actually try to climb around stuff, so you need to keep the area you are vacuuming Neato friendly. They do include a guard thingee to prevent the Neato from taking a header down the stairs.

My wife actually thinks they are alive and treats them like pets. Scares me too!

showcaller

I admit I have always been fascinated by these robotic vacuum cleaners and this one certainly seems to be the Rolls Royce of them. My concerns would be one of our dogs will think it's a squirrel in disguise that managed to get in the house and attack it! My other concern is it seems kind of impossible that it will cover every square foot in our modest 1,200 square foot home. It's not entirely clear but are they suggesting that this thing will figure out how to clean every square foot in every room and not hit chairs, dogs, sofa legs, trash cans, dog toys... you get the idea.

Myself248

mnbigguy wrote:They do include a guard thingee to prevent the Neato from taking a header down the stairs.

The magnet strip? Yeah, you don't need that for stairs. Neato has downward-facing sensors on the corners (at least the XV-11 does, and I think the XV-21 is just a different brush and filter with the same brains), so it'll notice cliffs, back away, and continue vacuuming. If that fails, there's also a wheel-drop sensor which stops it in its tracks, hopefully still avoiding a tumble. I've never seen it get that far.

I tested mine on a raised game platform (think boxing ring but with no ropes or posts) with enough clearance around the edges that almost the entire room was too far away for the LIDAR sensor to see, forcing it to navigate almost entirely by dead reckoning and cliffs. It not only avoided plummeting to its death, but it added these "invisible" obstacles to its map and proceeded to vacuum its usual pattern parallel to one of the "walls" it couldn't even see.

I have used the magnet strip, though: The fireplace here has a floor-level hearth, and Neato would happily roll right up on it during a fire, getting his chassis a little toasty, until I used the strip to define a keep-out zone. Luckily the color looks fine against the slate hearth.

One caveat: This generation of Neato lacks the twirling side-brush of a Roomba, so it does an inferior job on the two inches right against the wall, despite the almost-eerie ability to follow perfectly along the wall. Rumor has it that the next-gen Neato may remedy this, but for now, Roomba has better edge cleaning. Where Neato shines is in the smart navigation, which will negotiate a complex floor plan and clean every inch without need of beacons or anything.

Myself248

showcaller wrote:are they suggesting that this thing will figure out how to clean every square foot in every room and not hit chairs, dogs, sofa legs, trash cans, dog toys... you get the idea.

Yup. If it can get in there. Narrow gaps are a deal-killer, obviously. (It's possible to barricade off a room by simply setting up a line of soda cans ten inches apart; it knows it can't get through and won't try.)

The five-way legs of wheeled office chairs are a hilarious challenge: They're just a smidgen below the LIDAR beam's plane, so Neato only sees the central post of the chair. It bumps into the legs and navigates around them Roomba-style, then continues on its merry way mapping and vacuuming the rest of the room.

Trash cans are walls, as far as it's concerned, and it knows better than to run into things it can see on LIDAR. The black wire mesh ones are nearly invisible to the scanner, though, so it may nudge those.

Dogs and dog toys are where it gets interesting. Mapping happens 4 inches off the floor. If the dog has a protruding feature (a tail, perhaps) that's not visible at that height, it may get run over. Please catch this on video. Dog toys and other objects below the scanner's view will either be pushed around if they're light enough, or collided with and navigated around Roomba-style.

kwschnautz

I purchased the XV-11 this spring and my only complaint thus far is that it tends to move lightweight furniture and small objects and even rugs. When this happens there is a chance that it will get off track enough to where it can't get back home. That said, I wouldn't mind a second one to use upstairs.

It does a decent job picking up dog hair. While it won't get everything, it picks up enough every run to overfill the dirt bin. Can't expect much more than full, am I right? Running it every 1-2 days is enough to keep my floors relatively clean.

Just remember, vacuuming by hand is often much faster and picks more up. Where the Neato XV vacuums pay off the most is when they run while you're away. THAT is what its all about.

showcaller

What happens when it goes from a carpeted room to a hardwood floor? Does the unit automatically adjust its' height so it isn't too high on the hardwood floor or to low in the carpeted area. Also, we have alot of large rugs. What happens when it comes across one? Or does the answer depend on how high the rug is?

kwschnautz wrote:I purchased the XV-11 this spring and my only complaint thus far is that it tends to move lightweight furniture and small objects and even rugs. When this happens there is a chance that it will get off track enough to where it can't get back home. That said, I wouldn't mind a second one to use upstairs.

It does a decent job picking up dog hair. While it won't get everything, it picks up enough every run to overfill the dirt bin. Can't expect much more than full, am I right? Running it every 1-2 days is enough to keep my floors relatively clean.

Just remember, vacuuming by hand is often much faster and picks more up. Where the Neato XV vacuums pay off the most is when they run while you're away. THAT is what its all about.

srr037

I have a less expensive model of NEATO and several Roombas. The Roombas were always getting clogged up with pet hair. The NEATO works great with pet hair, does carpet much better, navigates through several rooms on its own, and even goes back and charges up and then finishes up later if its battery gets low. Never gets clogged up and does a pretty good job of cleaning. Have had a few problems: have to pull the kitchen chairs out so it can get around them or it jams up between the chair legs and table; and the bottom cross supports of the dining room chairs are too low, so the NEATO jams itself under them and stalls. So I keep it out of the dining room with the included magnetic strips unless I move the chairs out. The Roombas are all bricks. Don't even think about getting a Roomba if you have a pet hair problem or high pile carpets.

I have not used the NEATO model that is for sale. I would not personally spend the extra money to get a pet hair model, since my more modest unit does just fine with the copious shedding of my australian shepherd.

chiweenie

I've owned a Roomba and currently own a Neato XV-12. This model may be improved. Frankly I'm not thrilled with the Neato, the Roomba worked better. The Neato has tried to suck up light weight rugs and dog toys but also missed obvious small debris on the floor. In our short haired dog household the fur will manage to get stuck in the intake area and prevent anything more from getting sucked up but will not alert that it's not picking up anything. This can happen while the bin is essentially empty. Forget about walls and corners it misses them completely. If you don't mind going around the rooms with a broom and dust pan to get corners and walls and you don't own pets then the Neato might work for you.

Indiana91

I decommissioned my three Roombas a week after I got this Neato back in October. The Roombas needed a lot of monitoring to keep the brushes clean and to move and restart when the batteries ran down. They both advertise being able to start it and forget it, and the Neato actually delivers on that.

I'm thinking about getting a second one for upstairs to save me carrying the one I have back and forth.

Zerxer

I just got an XV-14 a week ago off of eBay for $229, which is the blue model that Costco tends to have (comes with extra filters). It, however, does not have the updated Pet & Allergy filter/brush bar, which costs about $60 normally on its own. That's why the one at Costco is $50 less than this.

Just so everyone is aware, this model is constantly "on sale" for this price, or even $10-20 less. It's a good base price for it, but it's not really a deal.

Still, after running my new Neato several times now, I do recommend grabbing one. I'm much happier with my model since it's blue rather than looking like a modified SNES. I did order the Pet & Allergy upgrade kit separately -- the filter is better and the brush bar makes the unit quieter on hard floors (the traditional beater bar is louder when banging against hard floors). However, I've read reports of the brush bar causing more battery use from the friction against carpeted floors.

In comparison to Roomba: the vacuum on the Neato is much stronger, but that means it's also a lot noisier. It also follows a more traditional pattern when cleaning the floors: going in straight lines back and forth. The Roomba cleans in a random pattern that makes it look crazy, although such a method does ensure it hits areas more than once and from different angles, but it can also cause it to completely miss some areas.

gilsonal

I bought an earlier version, and thought I might comment on some of the pet questions. It does eat cat toys, which get stuck in the bristles. I use it less than I thought because if I don't pick up daily it doesn't get far. YMMV in a more organized home.

I do find using it every day cuts down on the need to break out the full vac more than once a week.

It does tend to get lost in rooms with more than one entry, such as my kitchen or bathroom, so I've used the magnet to block it off.

Overall I'm happy but wish my pets were better at cleaning up after their playtime (yeah right) so it would be less likely to get jammed up.

datastream

Believe it our upstairs is 1600 sq ft., this thing goes from room to room and when it is running out of battery power goes home by itself and recharges, then it restarts and finishes the job from where it left off.

showcaller wrote:I admit I have always been fascinated by these robotic vacuum cleaners and this one certainly seems to be the Rolls Royce of them. My concerns would be one of our dogs will think it's a squirrel in disguise that managed to get in the house and attack it! My other concern is it seems kind of impossible that it will cover every square foot in our modest 1,200 square foot home. It's not entirely clear but are they suggesting that this thing will figure out how to clean every square foot in every room and not hit chairs, dogs, sofa legs, trash cans, dog toys... you get the idea.

nidrah

yakky

So much smarter than a roomba. I've had 4 Roombas dating back to the original grey model up to the 5 series. They bounce around like a drunken sailor wasting time and batteries. They also don't have very good suction.

The Neato solves all those issue and makes cool crop circle like patterns in your carpet.

Some of the Neatos have been shipping with bad batteries. If you don't get 50-60 minutes per charge, you need to contact Neato support for a new set of batteries.

dlleon

It does a great job with rooms full of furniture. Just watch it go a few times. If it gets stuck, it will chime, you move whatever is blocking it, and then let it go. After seeing it stuck once or twice in my dining room (with six chairs), I noticed that if I place the chairs over an inch or two, it can do the whole room without a hitch. I now have it going every day. I have two sheddy dogs, and this thing is great!

showcaller wrote:I admit I have always been fascinated by these robotic vacuum cleaners and this one certainly seems to be the Rolls Royce of them. My concerns would be one of our dogs will think it's a squirrel in disguise that managed to get in the house and attack it! My other concern is it seems kind of impossible that it will cover every square foot in our modest 1,200 square foot home. It's not entirely clear but are they suggesting that this thing will figure out how to clean every square foot in every room and not hit chairs, dogs, sofa legs, trash cans, dog toys... you get the idea.

Myself248

showcaller wrote:What happens when it goes from a carpeted room to a hardwood floor? Does the unit automatically adjust its' height so it isn't too high on the hardwood floor or to low in the carpeted area. Also, we have alot of large rugs. What happens when it comes across one? Or does the answer depend on how high the rug is?

A really high rug can snarl the brush and stop any robot vacuum in its tracks. Assuming these aren't those, then yeah, it'll automatically adjust. There's a fine balance between the wheel springs, the unit's center of gravity, and the stiffness of the brush itself. It just kinda hovers at the right height for whatever.

jimtpat wrote:Okay, I can't tell from the description: Is there a remote way to make it sound off if it gets lost under the trash and maybe seizes up?

If it finds all the IBugs I've lost, will vacuuming them up hurt them?

That's automatic. It'll give off this plaintive "kablurp?" sound every ~30 seconds until the battery dies, which is plenty of time to come home an discover that it inexplicably jammed itself in an odd spot where it never got jammed before. Don't throw out your broom; you'll need it once in a while for retrieving the daredevil Neato from the otherwise-inaccessible places it goes. If you find a persistently-problematic place, block it off with the included magnetic strip.

Mine used to get lost under the bed sometimes. I realized there was a tag dangling from the mattress at precisely the right height to sometimes be invisible to LIDAR and sometimes appear right on top of the unit, "boo!", which caused a nav fault. Removed the tag and all is good again.

I've never seen an ibug, but from a quick GIS, they look too big to get sucked up. YMMV.

gilsonal wrote:It does tend to get lost in rooms with more than one entry, such as my kitchen or bathroom, so I've used the magnet to block it off.

Really? I did manage to confuse mine by opening and closing doors during a run, so that it could technically get back to base but not by the same route. That caused a few sad-Neato moments before I realized that picking it up and carrying it back to base negated all the fun of watching it get confused, so I don't do that anymore. If I leave all the doors open, it seems to negotiate the donut floorplan with alacrity.

ksheeha1

I have had several Roombas and now have 2 Neatos. I like the Neatos much better. Mostly because the pet hair does not get stuck in the brush. I have had issues with both brands. My one Neato has been replaced 4 times in the last year. The other one has had no issues. Neato Robotics customer service is the best. They have replaced my unit with no hassle. I did buy a Square Trade warranty just in case.
As far as cleaning, I think it does a great job, better than the Roomba. However, It does not do corners well or get into small places. Mine will not go under the bed like the Roomba did. The battery life is far better than the Roomba. Overall, I will never buy another Roomba, but would replace my Neato in a heartbeat.

missflomp

mosesparrot

Have 4 and all work great on hardwood or carpet. You can also update the software http://www.neatorobotics.com/support/software-updates/ for older versions. You can check the software version on the Neato itself. Our dog doesn't bother Wally(s) anymore.

copple1

rpmosby

showcaller wrote:I admit I have always been fascinated by these robotic vacuum cleaners and this one certainly seems to be the Rolls Royce of them. My concerns would be one of our dogs will think it's a squirrel in disguise that managed to get in the house and attack it! My other concern is it seems kind of impossible that it will cover every square foot in our modest 1,200 square foot home. It's not entirely clear but are they suggesting that this thing will figure out how to clean every square foot in every room and not hit chairs, dogs, sofa legs, trash cans, dog toys... you get the idea.

I have two dogs and they pretty much ignore the Neato. Mine does run up sloping table legs and get stuck, and because I have a large house with five wings, it gets a little lost sometimes. But it does a fabulous job, it does go around tables and chairs, it picks up an amazing amount of dirt and hair. However, yes, I often have to rescue it from a table leg or stuck position. Compared to actually vacuuming myself, however, these are very minor concerns.

htmagic

I ordered a Neato about a year ago when I saw Woot had one for the same price as this one. My wife was initially skeptical of a robotic vacuum but after she saw how much dirt it picks up in its bin and the neat tracks in the carpet after it did its scheduled chores, now she treats the thing like a pet or a child.

Neato isn't perfect. We have found it stuck in places, chirping its alarms. It also tries to hump things so be careful of some items like cords, etc. We also get the dreaded RPS error but usually we acknowledge and it drives on. Interestingly enough, I called Neato about this and they did not define what this error is although they were aware of it. I think it is a relative position sensor and it "forgets" where it is in the room.

mblorenz

Bought this model back in October. I must admit that we are on #3, but customer service has been flawless and easy. We also encountered the battery problem with #3, and Neato sent a new one, no questions asked. It is a bonus that they answer the phone 24/7.
Still loving #3. It takes about two weeks to learn your home. It does relentlessly try to get stuck under the lazy boy type chairs, but the magnetic strip has helped that issue. And he trick with the soda cans works like a charm! Even thinking about getting a second one for the upstairs.

betsvarn

I purchased this from Woot approximately seven months ago, so I believe I can speak fairly competently in regards to its performance. When I was contemplating this purchase, I wished members had noted floor types, needs, pets etc., in an effort to see if anyone mirrored my needs. So, I hope this review may be beneficial for some members...

I have two bulldogs and they have double coats. Unfortunately, this creates copious amounts of dog dander and shedded short hair. I also have porcelain tile and area rugs throughout approximately 1500 sq. feet of living area. Some people would argue that I'm a little OCPD in regards to the cleanliness of my home. I guess I would agree with that assessment and therefore usually have all dog toys returned to their bin and no other debris laying around. That being said, my Neato has a structured environment and rarely has an opportunity to get something stuck in its brushes as others have noted.

If I had to use one word to describe my Neato, the word "exceptional" comes to mind. It's extremely efficient on surfaces and glides effortlessly onto the different heights of my area rugs. As far as run times with my square footage, it usually requires two cycles. It will run for approximately 45 minutes, automatically recharge itself (another 45 minutes), and completes its assigned task usually within another 30 minutes.

I always empty the bin after it completes each cycle. It amazes me that people actually complain that their bin is full and must be emptied! Isn't that why they're running a vacuum to begin with? I for one, am thrilled to see the debri in the bin...it's that much less in my home.

I've programmed mine to run daily...there's no effort on my behalf, so why not assist with the benefits of a cleaner home. It's a mechanical being, so obviously there are occasional glitches. As others have stated, it does occasionally get stuck on an area rug tassel or ill defined furniture (for instance, my iron legged barstools). However these few hiccups are minimal compared to the benefits. As a norm, it completes its daily task without incident.

Over these few months, I had to contact customer service due to a right wheel getting stuck and a software error. They were extremely friendly and efficient. Without question, they replaced my unit and also included prepaid FedEx labels for return of the defective unit(s). Complete customer satisfaction appears to be something the company prides itself on. At the time of purchase, I also obtained the square trade extended warranty, so I have no concerns for many years.

In conclusion, if you seek a cleaner home with minimal effort, this is an exceptional purchase to meet that need.

TGSiege

showcaller wrote:What happens when it goes from a carpeted room to a hardwood floor? Does the unit automatically adjust its' height so it isn't too high on the hardwood floor or to low in the carpeted area. Also, we have alot of large rugs. What happens when it comes across one? Or does the answer depend on how high the rug is?

I picked this unit up back in October when it was last on sale. Given the color scheme, I decided to name it Jean-Luc. From the reviews then, it seemed a superior robotic vacuum to any roombas.

I have hardwood and carpeted floors in my apartment- it seems to make the transition just fine. For some reason, it reads half of my living room as part of my bedroom, and tends to jump back and forth between rooms with no problem.

It seems to work well with the two rugs I have in my place- I recently purchased one as a way to keep my wired sound system running as well as the neato since cords do tend to trip it up. It just moves onto the rug--and over the cord beneath-- with no problem.

I think it kind of adjusts the height- the suspension system for it allows it to move up and down so it can attempt to run up-and-over things. I guess I haven't noticed if it intentionally raises or lowers itself, but it does do a great job of cleaning the carpets, hardwood, and rugs.

The vacuum does force you to pick up after yourself so it doesn't get stuck as often.

I have some odd chairs with a bar that runs along the floor that it likes to get stuck on (but can sometimes ramp over), but using the magnetic strip has kept it safe. As previously mentioned, I got a rug to keep it running over some cords without a problem.

Additionally, if you want it to dock itself you will need the recommended 3' clear (except for the back). I placed mine under a bookshelf so it wouldn't get in the way- it will get itself back to the bookshelf but won't dock. I actually like this as it gives me a chance to empty the dust bin before it goes back into hiding.

I seem to have success using the hose on my upright to clean the filter when it gets dusty.

Myself248

TGSiege wrote:The vacuum does force you to pick up after yourself so it doesn't get stuck as often.

This! Yeah, I forgot, this was one of my main reasons for buying one -- I'm "accountable" to "someone" when I leave crap on the floor. The human tendency to personify machines works out perfectly, in that I feel that my time spent cleaning isn't wasted -- it's for the Neato's benefit!

TGSiege wrote:I seem to have success using the hose on my upright to clean the filter when it gets dusty.

Ooh, good call. Because bags for even the most expensive upright are about 200x cheaper than robot filters per unit of dust collected.

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